Non-spill sippy cup or straw cup: what is the difference?

The difference is the way your child drinks. From a non-spill sippy cup your child drinks horizontally, much as from a bottle. From a cup with a straw your child has to suck actively, which is a new technique. That is why the sippy cup suits a young drinker and the straw cup suits a toddler.

How a non-spill sippy cup works

A non-spill sippy cup has a spout with a valve. That valve only lets the drink through when your child sucks. Turn the cup upside down and the contents stay inside.

The Difrax Non-spill sippy cup with soft spout is suitable from 6 months. The valve has two settings, so you match the flow to your child. Upside: few spills and a familiar feel. Downside: your child keeps sucking, so it stays an in-between step.

How a cup with a straw works

In a straw cup, the non-spill system sits inside the straw itself. The straw only opens when your child sucks on it. Without suction nothing comes out.

The Difrax non-spill Cup with straw is suitable from around 12 months. Drinking through a straw asks for a different movement than drinking from a spout. Upside: your child keeps the head upright and does not strain the neck. Downside: a straw needs upkeep and does not last forever.

Which one do you choose, and when?

• Your child is just moving on from the bottle: start with the sippy cup.
• Your child already drinks fairly well alone: try the 360 degrees cup as a step in between.
• Your child is around one and wants to do everything alone: the straw cup is the logical next step.

Plenty of parents simply use both. A sippy cup for the buggy, a straw cup at the table.

Cleaning and safety

The straw cup comes apart completely, so no drink is left behind anywhere. A separate narrow brush is available for the straw. A sponge alone will never reach inside a straw.

Check the straw regularly if your child bites on it. Replace it at the first small tears or when it goes slack. Always use a cup under adult supervision. Unsure about chewing or swallowing? Ask your child health clinic or a speech therapist.

One reassurance: there is no wrong choice here. Neither cup is better than the other, they simply suit a different moment. Your child learns to drink at its own pace, and that pace differs from child to child.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between a non-spill sippy cup and a straw cup?
The drinking technique. From a sippy cup your child drinks horizontally through a spout, from a straw cup it sucks through a straw. A sippy cup suits from 6 months, a straw cup from around 12 months.

Is a straw cup better for the teeth?
Not automatically. What is in the cup and how often your child drinks matter more. Offer water between meals and avoid all-day sipping of sweet drinks.

Can you use both cups side by side?
Yes, and many parents do. Alternating helps your child learn different drinking techniques. Browse all Difrax drinking cups and see which one sits best in your child's hands.